How to buy socks that last: give the legs a stretch and look for reinforcement

You can assess the durability of a sock by rubbing the fabric between your fingers to see the thickness of the yarn and tightness of the weave. Photograph: Pitchayanan Kongkaew/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Socks may be a small, sometimes invisible part of an outfit, but like a mosquito in the dark, a bad sock can be very annoying and make things extremely uncomfortable. From socks that fall down and slip beneath your heel, to those that are too rough or too thin, the result is the same: blisters and difficulty walking. It is very hard to feel composed when your socks are failing your feet.

But going without is a recipe for ruining your shoes. “Sweat is full of bacteria,” says Julia Kelly, owner of The Sockery. “So to keep your sneakers smelling fresh, always wear socks … of any kind.”